Abuja — A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced two women, Safiya Salihu and Halima Abdullahi, to 40 years imprisonment for aiding terrorism and concealing information linked to notorious bandit kingpin, Kachallah Ibrahim Battujo.
Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa delivered the judgment on Friday after both women, who are the mother and sister of the slain terrorist leader, pleaded guilty to multiple terrorism-related charges filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
Battujo was reportedly eliminated by security forces on June 10, 2026, in a forest near Iluke in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The court convicted the defendants on Counts 2, 4, and 5, which bordered on aiding and abetting террорист activities and withholding critical information that could have led to the arrest of the kingpin.
According to the prosecution, the women “aided and abetted the activities of Battujo… and passed information through telephone conversations,” an offence punishable under Section 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
They were, however, discharged on Counts 1 and 3 relating to receiving N490,300 allegedly linked to terrorism proceeds and sponsorship for Hajj pilgrimage, after the prosecution requested the charges be struck out.
Director of Public Prosecution, Oyedepo Rotimi, SAN, had urged the court to dismiss the affected counts but proceed with conviction on the remaining charges to which the defendants admitted guilt.
In her ruling, Justice Yilwa sentenced each of the convicts to 20 years imprisonment on the relevant counts, ordering that the sentences run concurrently, effectively resulting in a 40-year jail term. She also directed that the convicts undergo rehabilitation after serving their terms.
The court found that Safiya Salihu failed to disclose vital information about her son’s terrorist activities, while Halima Abdullahi concealed knowledge of firearms in the possession of her brother during visits to his forest hideout.
The judgment underscores Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the enforcement of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and hold individuals accountable for supporting or concealing terrorist activities.
